Freshfields signs deal to use artificial intelligence technology for contract review

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has become the latest law firm to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technology after trialling its use in the firm's Manchester legal services centre. The magic circle firm has agreed a deal to work with software provider Kira Systems, which already has similar arrangements in place with DLA Piper and Clifford Chance (CC). Freshfields has been trialling a number of different AI tools over the past year, but settled on Kira because "unlike other machine learning software, it allows Freshfields' lawyers to train the algorithm to meet their specific needs," according to a statement by the firm. The software is designed to search and analyse contract text, and can also be used over a number of different areas including due diligence, general commercial, corporate, real estate and compliance. Freshfields director of legal services innovation Isabel Parker said: "Kira can be configured around our own custom provisions, using our knowledge base, ensuring that it is perfectly tailored to clients' needs. It complements our own legal expertise, and will further enhance the quality of work delivered to clients while helping to free up the legal services centre team to focus on more complex areas of work."